Wildlife Conservation Society Calls for More Wilderness

Over the past several months there have been numerous articles written regarding the idea that we do not need more wilderness designations in the U.S. There seems to be a sentiment that we need to adequately manage what wilderness we already have, and that pushing for more is foolhardy. The notion is that if we just keep creating new wilderness without managing existing wilderness, we'll actually lose support for wilderness designation over time, i.e. why should there be more when what you have is in shambles.

However, there are still those who are actively and loudly calling for more wilderness. And not just for the scenic values either. Wilderness provides habitat protection, clean water and healthy ecosystems. Most recently, the Wildlife Conservation Society has called for more wilderness...

Read full article here: http://www.greatfallstribune.com/article/20110623/LIFESTYLE05/106230315/WCS-study-calls-more-wilderness?odyssey=nav%7Chead

Managers Work to Restore Native Cutthroat Populations in Wilderness Lakes

Many parts of the west have seen a significant decline in native fish populations over the years, both in wilderness and in other areas. Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks recently unveiled a plan to try and bring back native Westslop Cutthroat Trout to several lakes, including some in the Bob Marshall Wilderness. The history on these lakes is interesting as some were stocked prior to the Wilderness Act with helicopter yet now the'll have to be stocked by more traditional means - pack string.

From the a recent article in the Missoulan:

"Historically in the South Fork, these were all fishless lakes," Boyer said. "But they were great fish habitat. So in the 1920s and '30s, they started stocking rainbows and Yellowstone cutthroats. They'd load them in milk cans and haul them in on mule trains. Later on, they'd use helicopters."

Boyer said because the Bob Marshall lakes were mechanically stocked before the area became federally designated wilderness in 1964, the state had an exemption to continue delivering fish by helicopter to all but Pyramid Lake. Volunteers from the Backcountry Horsemen's Association will deliver fish to that lake, which never saw helicopter activity before it became wilderness.

Read the full article here: http://missoulian.com/news/local/article_2e1cc662-8b29-11e0-a202-001cc4c03286.html